Jaecoo 5 review

Chinese brand goes after the Hyundai Kona with new petrol-engined compact crossover

The rollout of Jaecoo (sibling to Omoda, both export-only brands of Chinese conglomerate Chery) continues with the Jaecoo 5, a compact crossover of the sort you find quite a lot these days.

The petrol-engined 5 (and an electric variant called the E5) sit on the same platform as the larger Jaecoo 7, already on sale, as well as Omoda and Chery models various. 

Jaecoo is supposed to be the active, outdoorsy brand; Omoda is meant to be a bit more sleek and urban; while Chery is the own-brand brown bread of the trio. There are other brands elsewhere in the world.

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DESIGN & STYLING

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The 5 is a 4.38m-long five-seater, which puts it at a similar length to the Range Rover Evoque or Hyundai Kona, a wee bit shorter than the Nissan Qashqai or Audi Q5.

At the moment, you have two powertrain options: electric or petrol. Unlike with the larger Jaecoo 7, there's no option of four-wheel drive. 

INTERIOR

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The look and feel of the inside is good at the money, the rear seats are spacious and there’s a 480-litre boot.

There are actual switches for the door mirrors and rear windows and lights, and while most other controls are relegated to the big touchscreen, we’ve used worse – and it includes features like setting the maximum tailgate opening height, which, if you frequently park near an overhanging object, is quite a neat touch.

The driving position is generally good, although the steering wheel has very broad spokes around the quarter to three, just where you might like to hold it.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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The 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine makes 145bhp and 203lb ft of torque. 

It drives the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox developed with Getrag but built by Chery. There's no manual option.

The 5 is said to be able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 10.2sec, but it’s better if you don’t ask so much from it as that.

If you’re in mooching-around mode it’s largely fine, making smooth gearshifts and retreating into the background harmlessly. 

But it’s easy to go from it giving very little acceleration to being too scrabbly in a heartbeat, especially on step-off from rest. 

RIDE & HANDLING

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Dynamically, if you don’t ask much of the 5 it’s also fine – but this is where its showroom appeal and keen pricing start to unravel.

The ride is mostly pliant, but this can lead to a lack of control on more interesting roads.

The body initially rolls briskly, so it can feel quite agile, but there's a lack of finesse and it can have difficulty in putting down even its modest power without you trying hard.

I haven’t driven a Jaecoo 7, so couldn’t tell you if the ADAS kit that we found irritating there is better or worse here. Obviously it has to have it and it has to default to on, so you have to do a 30-second pre-flight check to turn the poor bits off, but for testing purposes I gave it the opportunity to make needless bongs and tug at the wheel, and it didn’t waste its chance. Still, less infuriating than some cars I’ve tried, so maybe these systems are improving.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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The petrol 5 emits 159g/km of CO2, so you’re not going to be having it as a company car. Retail is where it’s at, priced from £24,505 in Pure specification and £28,000 on the nose in Luxury trim. B/C-segment space and kit for B-segment money is how they're pitching it. 

It’s pretty well equipped in its base form, with the upper spec adding a huge glass roof, Sony audio, powered, vented and heated seats and a powered bootlid. 

Other than paint colour (white free, anything else £500, two-tone £1000), you don’t get any options.

It’s a straightforward offering, and Jaecoo has more than 80 dealers already offering it.

VERDICT

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The 5 is an affordable crossover/SUV thing with an amiable appearance inside and out, plenty of kit, a rapidly increasing number of dealers and a price that many people will not overlook.

There’s a lack of dynamic finesse to it, so it isn't for us, but I suspect that won’t bother prospective buyers so much. 

Matt Prior

Matt Prior
Title: Editor-at-large

Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013.

Matt is an automotive engineer who has been writing and talking about cars since 1997. He joined Autocar in 2005 as deputy road test editor, prior to which he was road test editor and world rally editor for Channel 4’s automotive website, 4Car. 

Into all things engineering and automotive from any era, Matt is as comfortable regularly contributing to sibling titles Move Electric and Classic & Sports Car as he is writing for Autocar. He has a racing licence, and some malfunctioning classic cars and motorbikes.